


The Meeting

by Random97531



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-01
Updated: 2017-03-21
Packaged: 2018-09-21 10:39:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9544244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Random97531/pseuds/Random97531
Summary: Aaron isn't happy when he's forced into a business meeting, especially when the meeting doesn't seem to go well.





	1. Chapter 1

A low rumbling from his stomach echoed through the thankfully emptying room. A quick glance down at his watch showed that it was long past lunch time yet he didn’t think he’d be leaving any time soon.

The meeting should’ve been at one but it was already past two and he was becoming impatient. The chairs in the reception area were expensive looking and fitted perfectly with the bright modern building but they weren’t particularly comfortable.

Aaron awkwardly played with his tie until the receptionist glanced at him disapprovingly and he dropped his hands back down to his sides. He hated wearing the suit but Adam had insisted this meeting could bring big business so he needed to take it seriously. It was Adam who had arranged the meeting but he'd backed out at the last minute saying something about a deal that was too good to miss so here he was instead.

In his head, he rehearsed what he was going to say, thinking about how he could answer every possible question they could throw at him. He hadn't had long to prepare for the meeting and soon fell into a deep reverie.

He was pulled back into the present by a low cough that was clearly made to get his attention.

“Aaron Dingle?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who left comments or kudos!

“Aaron Dingle?”

He looked up to see a man a few meters away looking at him. The man was blonde, a bit older than him but still young and wearing a well fitted suit that Aaron couldn’t help but think he looked good in, but he didn’t have time to think about that now; this meeting had to go well. It meant a lot of business for the scrapyard.

He stood and the man quickly walked over and too his hand, shaking it for slightly longer than he thought necessary.

“Hi, sorry about the wait, things have been a bit hectic today. If you want to follow me and we’ll get this meeting underway.”

He led him over to a lift and once they were both in pressed the button for the top floor.

“I’m Robert by the way, forgot to mention that before. Here we are.” The lift stopped and the doors opened revealing a wall covered in bright landscapes to his left and one huge window with the most spectacular view of the city he’d ever seen to his right.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” he smirked before leading him to a door at the other end of the corridor. The man was smug but he was clearly important in the company so he let it slide. “Please make yourself comfortable.” He said stepping aside to let Aaron into the large office revealing a view of the other side of the city that was just as stunning as the one he'd just seen.

Robert sat down on a sofa, leaning back into numerous cushions and gestured for him to join him so he took a seat in the armchair opposite, his hands knotted nervously in his lap.

“So, this is a big deal were talking about, why should you get the contract?” Robert asked him in a tone that suggested this was just a casual conversation and not in fact an important business meeting.

“Well…” He paused startled by how suddenly the interview had started. “We have a lot of contacts and we’ve dealt with companies before, we have the space and the time and the equipment to deal with as many contracts as you can get us.”

“So do lot of scrapyards.” He stated, the smirk still firmly in place. The man was arrogant and it was really starting to get on his nerves. “And I see on your application that your business only started out recently.” Aaron balled his fists in an attempt to hide his growing anger.

"But..."

"And there's only two of you working there. Do you really think you'd be able to handle the workload?"

He snapped, frustrated by the long wait and the and the man’s smugness, “You’ve clearly already made up your mind. I’m sorry for wasting your time!” He jumped to his feet and Robert followed more leisurely, his smirk growing slightly and Aaron had to stop himself from lashing out.

He raced to the door and left before anything else could be said.


	3. Chapter 3

Aaron sat at a table in the corner, cradling a pint that remained untouched. How could he be so stupid? It was a great chance and his own stupid temper had blown it.

He looked up as someone sat opposite him.

“Alright?” Adam asked brightly.

“No, not really.”

“Yeah?”

“That meeting was a waste of time. I totally blew it. Please tell me whatever you had going on that was so important you couldn’t miss it went better.”

“It went great! When this deal goes through you and me are going to be loaded mate.”

“Really?” A doubtful smirk creeped onto his face.

“You’ll see for yourself soon enough. I’ve got to go, I’ll see you in a bit yeah?” He stood and walked over to the bar, leaning in to talk to Vic.

Aaron went back to staring into his pint, his mood now a little brighter than it had been a few minutes before. His thoughts finally started to drift away from the disastrous morning he’d had and instead onto what Adam could possibly have been doing to make him so optimistic.

He was drawn away from his thoughts when his phone started to vibrate on the table. He picked it up to find that an unknown number was calling him. He answered it after a moment’s hesitation, deciding that it was probably just work.

“Hello?”

“Aaron Dingle?”

“I’m sorry who is this?”

“It’s Robert Sugden, we met earlier today.”

He was amazed. That was the last person he’d expected to be calling him.

“Aaron?”

He hadn’t realised he’d been silent for so long.

“Er… sorry. Why are you calling me? I mean I didn’t exactly expect to hear back from you after our meeting earlier.” He responded in a rush, his confusion clear.

“Our meeting was certainly interesting.”

“That’s certainly one way of putting it.” Aaron muttered under his breathe.

“And you’re defiantly the first person to walk out of a meeting with me.” He thought he could hear the smugness in Robert's voice again but he let it slide as he continued talking, “But there’s something about you that intrigues me Aaron. How about we arrange another meeting and this time you try not to walk out on me?”

He was stunned. He didn’t like the guy but he represented a big company that could mean a lot of money for the scrap yard so he was willing to put up with him for a little longer.

“Yeah, sure. When were you thinking?”

“How about tomorrow? Noon? We could make it an early lunch. I can text you an address in the morning.”

“That sounds good. I’ll see you then.”

“It’ll be a pleasure doing business with you.”

Aaron dropped the phone onto the table and stared at the wall in amazement. Had that conversation really just happened?


	4. Chapter 4

“Look at you in a suit!” Paddy joked as he walked through into the pub.

  
“I’ve got a meeting.” Aaron replied bluntly, his mind already focused on how he could possibly make this meeting go well after the disaster last time.

  
“Business is going well then?”

  
“It will be if we get this contract.”

  
“It’s a big deal?”

  
“Yeah, some big company that deals in farming equipment. Loads of old parts that they need getting rid of.”

  
He’d spent last night searching the company, trying to find something that might help him sign a contract. He’d found out a lot about the history of the company but very little about the people who worked there. He’d tried searching for Robert but there were thousands of Robert Sugdens and he couldn’t find anything about the one he was looking for.

  
“I've got to go. I’ll see you in a bit.”

  
He caught the words, “Good luck. Not that you’re going to need it.” As he walked out through the door.

  
Half an hour later he was walking into an almost empty restaurant. A quick glance at his watch told him that he was five minutes early. The door had barely closed behind him when a waiter was at his side.

  
“Can I show you to a table?”

  
“I’m meeting someone. Robert Sugden?”

  
A look of recognition immediately flashed across the waiter’s face. “Of course, Mr Sugden is already here.” He started to walk and signalled for Aaron to follow. As they rounded a corner he saw Robert hurriedly typing something into his phone.

  
The waiter coughed to get his attention and he quickly put the phone in his pocket and looked up. When he saw Aaron he immediately stood up and shook his hand, a smile playing on his lips.

  
“Thank you for agreeing to meet me so quickly. I didn’t like leaving things so badly after our last meeting.”

  
“I’ve got to say I wasn’t expecting another meeting after how it ended last time.”

  
Robert sat down at the table so Aaron followed his lead.

  
“Business always come first, right?”

  
He was a little confused by this but he didn’t want to push it so he just nodded.

  
“Let me get you a drink.” He poured a glass of wine from a bottle that was already on the table before taking a sip from his own glass. “I hope you don’t mind that I already ordered, I have a busy afternoon so I can’t wait around too long.”

  
“We’d better start talking business then.”


End file.
